1. Understanding the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria in the Context of the California Treatment System
Thomas E. Freese, PhD
Albert L. Hasson, MSW
UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center
“ASAM” and “The ASAM Criteria” are registered trademarks of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). This training program is not endorsed by or affiliated with ASAM.

2. Disclosures
The following planners and faculty disclosed no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests:
Gary Tsai, MD, Larissa Mooney, MD, Thomas E. Freese, PhD, Christine Oh, PhD, Richard Rawson, PhD, Darren Urada, PhD, Beth Rutkowski, MPH, Holly McCravey, MA, Lydia Becerra, and Donna K. Lee-Liu
There was no commercial support for this activity.

3. The Mission of the ASAM Criteria
To help clinicians, counselors, and care managers develop patient-centered service plans and make objective decisions about patient admission, and transfer/discharge for individuals with substance-use disorders and co-occurring conditions,
To implement and apply the criteria effectively to a variety of patient populations in a wide range of care settings,
To encourage the development of comprehensive continuum of care, 
To help improve patient outcomes through their multidimensional assessment and the continuum of care.
The ASAM criteria offer a system for improving the “modality match” through the use of multidimensional assessment and treatment planning that permits more objective evaluation of patient outcomes.

4. Guiding Principles of the ASAM Criteria
Moving from one-dimensional to multidimensional assessment
Clarifying the goals of treatment, and “Medical Necessity”
Focusing on treatment outcomes
Emphasizing an interdisciplinary, team approach to care
Engaging with “informed consent”
Incorporating ASAM’s definition of addiction
Identifying population specific needs

5. Assessment and Treatment Planning
Program-Driven
versus
Individualized

6. Program-Driven Plans “One size fits all”
Services received and length of stay are determined primarily by the philosophy, design, and model of treatment Patient’s graduate from the program and are said to have completed treatment.
“One size fits all”

7. Program-driven plans Client Will:
Client needs are important and will be addressed through the standard treatment program elements
Plan often includes only services that the program offers (e.g., group, individual sessions)
Frequently there is little difference among
clients’ treatment plans
“Complete 28-Day Program”
“Attend 3 A.A. Meetings”
Client Will:
“Attend group 3x’s per week”
“Complete Steps 1-3”

8. Truly Individualized Treatment
A paradigm shift
Truly Individualized Treatment
Client needs are important and are met through an appropriate variety of services (not just those from the agency; e.g., parenting classes, vocational support, etc.)
- Many colors/styles available -
- Custom style & fit -

9. Individualized Treatment
Individualised plan
Individualized Treatment
Treatment is person-centered and collaborative
Services that are directly related to specific, unique multidimensional assessment
Services are designed to meet a patent’s specific needs and preferences

10. Individualized Treatment and the ASAM Assessment
What are the patient’s immediate needs and is there imminent danger?
How are they functioning across multiple dimensions?
Where are their greatest risks, and what does this indicate about treatment needs?

11. Individualized, Patient-Centered Care has been shown to…
Empower the patient, strengthening the clinical relationship and facilitating patient involvement in their own care
Increase retention, leading to improved outcomes

12. Six Dimensions of the ASAM Multidimensional Assessment
Acute Intoxication and/or Withdrawal Potential
Biomedical Conditions and Complications
Emotional, Behavioral, or Cognitive Conditions and Complications
Readiness to Change
Relapse, Continued Use, or Continued Problems Potential
Recovery and Living Environment
1. Acute Intoxication and/or Withdrawal Potential: Exploring an individual’s past and current experiences of substance use and withdrawal
2. Biomedical Conditions and Complications: Exploring an individual’s health history and current physical condition
3. Emotional, Behavioral, or Cognitive Conditions and Complications: exploring an individual’s though, emotions, and mental health issues
4. Readiness to Change: exploring and individual’s readiness and interest in changing
5. Relapse, Continued Use, or Continued Problems Potential: exploring an individual’s unique relationship with relapse or continued use or problems
6. Recovery and Living Environment: exploring an individual’s recovery or living situation, and the surrounding people, places, and things

13. *ASI: Addiction Severity Index
ASI* Domains
Biopsychosocial
ASAM Dimensions
Acute Intoxication and/or Withdrawal Potential
Biomedical Conditions and Complications
Emotional, Behavioral, or Cognitive Conditions and Complications
Readiness to Change
Relapse, Continued Use, or Continued Problems Potential
Recovery and Living Environment
Alcohol, Drugs
Medical
Psychiatric
Employment support, Legal, Family social
*ASI: Addiction Severity Index 17

14. Dimension 1 Assessment Considerations
Acute Intoxication and/or Withdrawal Potential
Exploring an individual’s past and current experiences of substance use and withdrawal
What risk is associated with current level of intoxication?
Are intoxication management services needed?
What is the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms, seizures or other medical complications?
Are there current signs of withdrawal?
What are the scores of the standardized withdrawal rating scales?
What are the patient’s vital signs?
Does the patient have support to complete an ambulatory withdrawal, if medically safe to consider?

15. Dimension 2 Assessment Considerations
Biomedical Conditions and Complications
Exploring an individual’s health history and current physical condition
Other than withdrawal, what are the current physical illnesses that should be addressed?
What are the chronic conditions that need to be stabilized?
Is there a communicable disease present that could impact the well-being the client, other patients, or staff?
Is the patient pregnant? What is her pregnancy history?

16. Dimension 3 Assessment Considerations
Emotional, Behavioral, or Cognitive Conditions and Complications
Exploring an individual’s thoughts, emotions, and mental health issues
Are there psychiatric, psychological, behavioral, emotional or cognitive conditions needing to be addressed?
What if any chronic conditions need to be stabilized (eg, bipolar disorder or chronic anxiety)
Are the behavioral or cognitive symptoms part of the addictive disorder?
If related to the substance use, do the emotional, cognitive, or behavioral conditions require mental health care (eg, suicidal ideation and depression)
Is the patient able to participate in daily activities?
Can she/he cope with the emotional, behavioral, or cognitive conditions?

17. Dimension 4 Assessment Considerations
Readiness to Change
Exploring an individual’s readiness and interest in changing
How aware is the patient of the relationship between her/his substance use and behaviors involved in the pursuit of reward or relief of negative life consequences?
How ready, willing or able does the patient feel to make changes to her/his behaviors?
How much does the patient feel in control of his or her treatment service?

18. Dimension 5 Assessment Consideration
Relapse, Continued Use, or Continued Problems Potential
Exploring an individual’s relapse experiences/history of continued use
Is the patient in immediate danger of continued mental health distress or substance use?
Does the patient have any understanding of how to manage his mental health condition, in order to prevent continued use?
What is her/his experience with addiction and/or psychotropic meds?
How well can she/he cope with protracted withdrawal, craving, or impulses?
How well can the patient cope with negative affects, peer pressure, and stress?
How severe are the problems that may continue or reappear if the patient isn’t successfully engaged in treatment for substance use or mental health treatment?
Is the patient familiar with relapse trigger and does she/he possess the skills to control her/his impulses to use or harm her/himself?

19. Dimension 6 Assessment Considerations
Recovery and Living Environment
Evaluating the individual’s living situation, environmental resources and challenges, including family and friends
What in the individual’s environment poses a threat to the person’s safety or ability to engage in treatment?
What are the environment resources the individual can draw upon, including family, friends, education, or vocational that can support her/his recovery?
Are there any legal, vocational or social mandates that may enhance treatment engagement?
What are environmental barriers that need to be addressed, including transportation, child care, housing, employment, etc.?

20. Assessing Risk for Each Dimension
Utmost severity. Critical impairments/symptoms indicating imminent danger 4
Serious issue or difficulty coping. High risk or near imminent danger 3
Moderate difficulty in functioning with some persistent chronic Issues 2
Mild difficulty, signs, or symptoms. Any chronic issue likely to resolve soon 1
Non-issue, or very low-risk issue. No current risk and any chronic issues likely to be mostly or entirely resolved

21. Interactions Across Dimensions
There is considerable interaction across the six dimensions. Being aware of cross-dimensional interactions and the potential to increase or decrease in overall risk they pose can have a great effect on service planning. For Example: Sam has a higher Dimension 2 (biomedical) risk because of liver problems; this risk may be elevated because his Dimension 5 (Continued Use) risk is elevated due to his continued use of alcohol and other hepatoxic substances. 19

22. Assessing “Immediate Needs” and “Imminent Danger “
IMMEDIATE NEEDS may be determined by using the “Immediate Needs Profile” (p. 66). This can be done in person or by phone. Should address each of the six dimensions
IMMINENT DANGER describes a problem that can lead to grave consequences to the individual. It Includes three components:
The strong probability that certain behaviors will occur (i.e., continued alcohol or drug use, etc.),
That such behaviors will present a significant risk of serious adverse consequences to individual and/or others (i.e., driving while intoxicated, neglect of child, etc.),
The likelihood these events will occur in the very near future (within hours or days, not weeks or months). 19

23. So, what do we do with all of this information?
Dimension 1
Levels of Withdrawal Management (WM)
(Level 1-4-WM)
Risk 0
Dimension 2
Risk 1
Dimension 3 ??
Levels of Care Placement
(Level 0.5 – 4)
Risk 2
Dimension 4
Risk 3
Dimension 5
Risk 4
Dimension 6

24. What guides placement?
“… the highest severity problem, with specific attention to Dimensions 1, 2, and 3 should determine the patient’s entry point into the treatment continuum.”
Resolution of any acute problem(s) provides an opportunity to shift the patient down to a less intensive level of care. 18

25. Engage the person in their own care!
What?
Why?
How?
Where?
When?

26. ASAM Levels of Care 0.5 Early Intervention
Outpatient Treatment- <9 hrs/week, low-intensity SUD Tx
Intensive Outpatient – 9-19 hrs/week, high-intensity Tx of multi-dimensional SUD
Residential (at least one)-
a Clinically managed, 24 hr low-intensity residential services
b Clinically managed, population specific, high-intensity services
c Clinically managed, high-intensity residential
Inpatient Treatment (3.7; 4.0)- Medically monitored or
managed high-intensity residential care
Level I Opioid Treatment Program- Organized ambulatory tx for individuals with opioid use disorder.

27. Levels of Withdrawal Management
Description
Ambulatory Withdrawal Management without Extended On-Site Monitoring
1-WM
Mild withdrawal with daily or less than daily outpatient supervision; likely to complete withdrawal management and to continue treatment or recovery
Ambulatory Withdrawal Management with Extended On-Site Monitoring
2-WM
Moderate withdrawal with all day withdrawal management support and supervision; at night, has supportive family or living situation; likely to complete withdrawal management
Clinically Managed Residential Withdrawal Management
3-WM
Moderate-severe withdrawal, but needs 24-hour support to complete withdrawal management and increase likelihood of continuing treatment or recovery
Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient Withdrawal Management
4-WM
Severe, unstable withdrawal and needs 24-hour nursing care and daily physician visits to modify withdrawal management regimen and manage medical instability

28. Six Dimensions of Multidimensional Assessment
ASAM Levels of Care
Acute Intoxication and/or Withdrawal Potential
Biomedical Conditions and Complications
Emotional, Behavioral, or Cognitive Conditions and Complications
Readiness to Change
Relapse, Continued Use, or Continued Problems Potential
Recovery and Living Environment
0.5 Early Intervention
Outpatient Treatment
Intensive Outpatient and Partial Hospitalization
Residential/Inpatient Treatment
Medically-Managed Intensive Inpatient Treatment

29. Let’s meet Mr. U.

30. References and Resources
Mee-Lee, David. (Eds.) (2013) The ASAM criteria :treatment for addictive, substance- related, and co-occurring conditions Chevy Chase, Md. : American Society of Addiction Medicine
ASAM
The Change Companies:
Center for Integrated Behavioral Health Solutions
UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP) Pacific Southwest Addiction Technology Transfer Center

31. Albert L. Hasson, M.S.W. Thomas E. Freese, Ph.D www.uclaisap.org
Thomas E. Freese, Ph.D